President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, welcomed this Friday the Acting UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Pernille Dahler Kardel, whom he told that the “Israeli allegations about the existence of illegal weapons factories and secret caches in a number of Lebanese places are groundless.”
“Members of the diplomatic corps in Lebanon have accompanied Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on a tour during which they were reassured about the groundlessness of these allegations. Also, the UNIFIL command denied the existence of any weapons in the area of operation of the Green Without Borders,” he told his guest.
“Lebanon is committed to maintaining stability along the border and implementing Resolution 1701, at a time when Israel continues to violate Lebanese sovereignty on land, sea and air level, going against all international resolutions issued by the Security Council and the United Nations,” Aoun said.
He also underlined Lebanon’s position “on the return of displaced Syrians to their country,” pointing out that “the voluntary returns are taking place under the supervision of the Lebanese General Security, upon the request of displaced Syrians from whom we did not received any information about harassment suffered after the return.”
The President thus called on the international community to” help secure this repatriation.”
Kardel, in turn, told her host that she would “leave Beirut to New York to report on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 to the Security Council in the context of the regular briefing.”
“The United Nations is pleased with the cooperation between the Lebanese army and the international forces and the steps taken to strengthen the capabilities of the army and enable it to play its full role,” she said expressing “appreciation for the care that Lebanon provides to the displaced Syrians on its land.”
Source: NNA
